Lionel Messi is set to remain as the cover star of Konami’s eFootball series despite his move to Paris Saint-Germain, the Daily Mirror has revealed.
The 34-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Parisians on Tuesday, with the option of a third.
He was officially unveiled to the media and fans on Wednesday morning.
It was announced last Thursday that Messi’s illustrious 21-year stint with Barcelona had come to an end. Despite both sides agreeing on a new contract, it couldn’t be signed due to LaLiga restrictions on player restrictions.
That set in place the events that led to Messi becoming a Paris Saint-Germain player. He joins the likes of Neymar and Sergio Ramos at the French giants.
And whilst the signing has meant huge connotations for the world of football, it has also led to a few question marks where the video game world is concerned.
Messi is currently signed to Konami’s eFootball series as an ambassador. He has adorned its cover for the last three editions of the series.
Barcelona also have a long-term partnership with Konami. The Camp Nou is exclusive to eFootball, meaning it does not appear in the FIFA series.
However, Messi’s switch of clubs means that he now represents a club that currently has a long-term partnership with EA Sports – Konami’s rivals in the football video game market.
Konami’s statement on Messi x eFootball
But the Japanese game developers have exclusively confirmed to Mirror Football that Messi will also remain as an eFootball ambassador.
A Konami spokesperson said: “All eFootball™ ambassador agreements are signed with the individuals themselves, not with the clubs that they were playing for at the time.”
“Lionel Messi remains an eFootball™ ambassador and we look forward to continuing our long-standing relationship.”
Konami announced last month that the series, formerly known as Pro Evolution Soccer, had been renamed to eFootball.
The new game will be free-to-play and only available as a digital purchase. It is set to be released this autumn.
Featured Image Credit: Konami
